To achieve specific results, curing a rubber mix calls for special additives, including curing activators and accelerating agents.
In some industrial applications requiring fast curing, highly effective, booster accelerating agents are used.
Some of these have recently come under attack for health reasons.
Fatty acids are also commonly used as curing activators, but, though effective in activating the curing process, may result in a reduction in adhesion of the green mix. Fatty acids, in fact, by reacting with zinc oxide, may produce, as an undesired by-product, zinc salts which tend to migrate towards the surface of the mix, thus reducing adhesion of the green mix.
A need is therefore felt for new curing activator systems designed to ensure fast curing, while at the same time limiting use of fatty acids.